Betty GliskyBetty Glisky

Department of PsychologyDepartment of Psychology

University of ArizonaUniversity of Arizona

Memory Changes with Age: What to do about it?

Cognitive Aspects of Aging Cognitive Aspects of Aging and Memoryand Memory

What kinds of memory are What kinds of memory are affected by normal aging?affected by normal aging?

What cognitive strategies can What cognitive strategies can we engage to improve memory?we engage to improve memory?

What Kinds of Memory Are What Kinds of Memory Are Affected by Normal Aging?Affected by Normal Aging?

Memory for recent events or new Memory for recent events or new information–-information–-episodic memory-episodic memory--but not -but not memory for remote events or general memory for remote events or general knowledge—knowledge—semantic memorysemantic memory

Memory for Memory for contextcontext or details but not or details but not memory for content or memory for content or gistgist

RecallRecall but not but not recognitionrecognition Memory that depends on executive Memory that depends on executive

control-- control-- working memoryworking memory

What is working memory?What is working memory?

Working memory is a system where Working memory is a system where small amounts of information can be small amounts of information can be temporarily maintained and temporarily maintained and manipulatedmanipulated

It’s controlled by a central executive It’s controlled by a central executive that allocates attention among various that allocates attention among various components and taskscomponents and tasks

Executive control depends on prefrontal Executive control depends on prefrontal cortex, which declines with agecortex, which declines with age

.

Purposes of Working MemoryPurposes of Working Memory

To integrate information from different To integrate information from different modalities and sourcesmodalities and sources

To think through problems, reflect on To think through problems, reflect on the past, and plan for the futurethe past, and plan for the future

To construct and implement encoding To construct and implement encoding and retrieval strategies that will and retrieval strategies that will enhance episodic memoryenhance episodic memory

Encoding & RetrievalEncoding & Retrieval

Encoding: Encoding: How do you get How do you get information into the system? information into the system?

RetrievalRetrieval: How do you get : How do you get information back out?information back out?

Encoding ProcessesEncoding Processes Good encoding requires Good encoding requires attention attention What is attended enters working What is attended enters working

memorymemory In working memory, new information In working memory, new information

from various sources may be from various sources may be integrated and combined with pre-integrated and combined with pre-existing knowledgeexisting knowledge

Retrieval Processes

Memories are most likely to be Memories are most likely to be retrieved if encoding and retrieval retrieved if encoding and retrieval processes overlapprocesses overlap

Re-create as closely as possible the Re-create as closely as possible the original learning situationoriginal learning situation

Everyday exampleEveryday example

Encoding StrategiesEncoding Strategies

Levels of ProcessingLevels of ProcessingInformation that is processed deeply or Information that is processed deeply or

meaningfully will be well-rememberedmeaningfully will be well-rememberedIntegrating new information with prior Integrating new information with prior

knowledge creates a rich encoding that knowledge creates a rich encoding that provides many potential routes for provides many potential routes for retrievalretrieval

Think about things meaningfully

Levels of ProcessingLevels of Processing

0

20

40

60

80

100

% R

ecal

l

case rhyme category

Level of processing

Yes

No

Based on Craik & Tulving, 1975

Encoding StrategiesEncoding Strategies

1. Pay attention2. Think about things meaningfully3. Integrate an item with its

context

Two Aspects of Episodic Memory

Item MemoryItem Memory: : Memory for the Memory for the content of an event; what happenedcontent of an event; what happened

Source or Context Memory: : Memory for the origin of information; Memory for the origin of information; “who” told you, “where” and “when “who” told you, “where” and “when you learned somethingyou learned something Older people tend to have more Older people tend to have more

problems with source or context memory problems with source or context memory than item memorythan item memory

Memory for Item and Source

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

Pro

por

tion

Rec

ogniz

ed

Sentence Voice

Young

Older

Glisky, Polster & Routhieaux, 1995

Memory for Item and Source

Glisky, Rubin, & Davidson, 2001

Memory for Item and Source

Glisky, Rubin, & Davidson, 2001

Everyday ExampleEveryday Example

Where did I park my car?Where did I park my car?

Encoding StrategiesEncoding Strategies

1. Pay attention2. Think about things meaningfully3. Integrate an item with its

context4. Think about information in

relation to your self

Self-Reference Effect

Think about how something is relevant to you personally

For example, does the word “honest” describe you?

Glisky & Marquine, 2009

Self-Imagination Effect

Use visual imagery together with self-reference, what we call self-imagination

Imagine things that you want to remember from a personal perspective

Grilli & Glisky, 2010

The Testing EffectThe Testing Effect (Roediger & Karpicke, (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006)2006)

An example of Retrieval PracticeAn example of Retrieval Practice

Study Prose Study Prose PassagesPassages

Following by further Following by further study or by testing study or by testing without feedbackwithout feedback

Test at 5 mins, 2 Test at 5 mins, 2 days, or 1 weekdays, or 1 week

How to Improve Memory Pay careful attention to all aspects of an event or situation when it occurs

Think about information in a meaningful way and relate it to other things you know or things of personal relevance; try self-imagination

Integrate an event with its context

Re-create the context at time of retrieval

Use retrieval practice

Stay Active!Stay Active!

Mentally and Physically!Mentally and Physically!

Thanks to:Thanks to:

Collaborators, former Collaborators, former and current studentsand current students

Many amazing older Many amazing older adults that give of their adults that give of their time to participate in time to participate in our studiesour studies

Members of my Aging Members of my Aging and Cognition Lab (621-and Cognition Lab (621-5721)5721)

Funding AgenciesFunding Agencies National Institute on National Institute on

AgingAging Arizona Biomedical Arizona Biomedical

Research Research CommissionCommission

Arizona Alzheimer’s Arizona Alzheimer’s ConsortiumConsortium

Evelyn McKnight Evelyn McKnight Brain InstituteBrain Institute